Friday, July 13, 2012

Boat Event Goes Big And Stylish -- Red Bull Wake Open

Red Bull Wake Open – Day
One

Riders Go Big And Stylish For The Boat Event

Blue skies and calm waters set the stage to
kick off the Red Bull Wake Open on Thursday, starting with the Boat event towed
by a Malibu Wakesetter MXZ. Red Bull chose a scenic mining location north of
Tampa, Florida with fresh, blue/green water and white sand beaches.

A new format was implemented, which gave riders
two passes, and their best five-trick pass would be scored. With plenty of room
to land five tricks comfortably, this format encouraged style, individualism
and huge airs into the flats. One requirement changed this event in a big way;
riders had to include one trick consisting of a 360 or less. We saw lots of
stylish straight airs, backside 180’s and boned out 3’s, all way into the
flats.

Arriving straight from Australia, just in time
for the event, Harley Clifford was adapting well to the new format, starting
out his finals run with a massive stalefish backside 360. “Yeah, the format was
sick and it was cool to see everyone’s different airs. Rusty [Malinoski] was
doing that rad melon to indy backside 180, and just everyone was mixing it up.”

Adam Errington also launched the biggest airs
of the day, boosting a nose/indy backside 180, and a crazy heelside 360 rewind.
All the riding was captured with the best high-speed action cameras in the
world and the footage will air LIVE on NBC as part of the Red Bull Signature
Series on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. EST.

The four-man final consisted of Harley, Rusty,
Adam and Raphael Derome. Taking third, Raphael was really pumped considering
this was a huge score to add to his odds of winning the coveted overall title with
Big Air and Park events remaining. Rusty looked really strong all day and had
an unfortunate crash on his huge stale roll to blind. That may have been the
deal breaker that landed Rusty in second behind Harley Clifford’s five-trick
banger pass and double up. Be sure to watch NBC on Saturday to see his epic
run!

Harley was super pumped on the Boat event and
has a great perspective on the remaining events, “This really pumped me up to try
and do well in Big Air and Park, which is an environment I don’t normally
compete in, but it’s going to be really fun.”

RESULTS

1. Harley Clifford (AUS)

2. Rusty Malinoski (CAN)

3. Raphael Derome (CAN)

4. Adam Errington (SCT)

For more information, visit www.redbullusa.com/wakeopen
and follow @redbullTPA for real-time
updates. All the action is open to the public from 4-8 p.m. with the Big Air
competition at the Tampa Convention Center.